Soap star joins Springfield show cast

Ex-Coronation Street and EastEnders actor Ian Reddington is the latest star name in the cast of Son Of A Preacher Man.

The new musical featuring the soulful music of Dusty Springfield, comes to the Grand Theatre next year.

He joins Diana Vickers and Debra Stephenson in the show, which is being directed by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Ian is best known for playing Tricky Dicky in EastEnders and Vernon in Coronation Street, with other roles in popular TV programmes including the Outlander series, Dr Who, Shameless, Benidorm, Inspector Morse, Robin Hood, The Queen’s Nose and The Dumping Ground.

On stage, Ian has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has toured the UK with Bouncers, Dead Funny and Oh What a Lovely War.

Craig said: “I am delighted to bring to life for the very first time this wonderful story created by Warner Brown, with soulful songs from the legendary Dusty Springfield’s iconic music catalogue. I hope audiences will come to love this warm-hearted and uplifting new musical as much as I do.”

The show features Dusty’s legendary hits, including The Look Of Love, I Only Want To Be With You, Spooky and of course, the classic Son Of A Preacher Man.

A spokesman said: “Three broken hearts, one Soho hang-out, and the only man who could ever help them... Welcome to the Preacher Man, the swinging 1960s Soho joint where the kids danced the night away to the latest crazes and dared to dream of love, while the legendary owner, the Preacher Man himself, dispensed advice to cure the loneliest of hearts.

“Only, that was a long time ago and all that remains are the memories, the stories and the myths. Until now, when three strangers, generations apart but all in need of help with their hopeless love lives, are inexplicably drawn to the site of the original venue. The Preacher Man is long gone, but his son might just find it in himself to channel the spirit of the Preacher Man and once more give these three lovesick strangers the look of love.

• Son Of A Preacher Man, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Tuesday to Saturday, March 20 to 24.